Bill Shorten's dinner dummy spit leaves a sour taste

No one expected Bill Shorten to have an easy time adjusting to life as a mere frontbencher after his marathon stint at the dispatch box.

The former Labor leader arrived a day late for this parliamentary sitting week after a holiday visiting Prague and some of continental Europe's choicest sights. And he caused a minor scene at Canberra restaurant Madam Woo on Tuesday, where he was attending the Victorian Right's regular pow wow.

Bill Shorten, left, arrived back from holidays on Tuesday and was irritated by a minor slight in a TV news report by Peter van Onselen, right.Credit:AAP/Nine

On the way in, Shorten stopped by a table where Network Ten's Peter van Onselen was dining with Labor MPs Tim Watts and Nick Champion, as well as journo turned press secretary turned Counsel House lobbyist Jim Middleton.

Ever sensitive about his portrayal in the media, Shorten was unhappy about a line in PVO's news bulletin in which he asked whether Labor really wanted Shorten asking questions in Question Time.

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As far as slights go, it was barely perceptible. But that didn't stop Shorten getting stuck into PVO about the "cheap shot" in front of the whole table.

The two men were able to bury the hatchet and hug it out later, at least.

Meanwhile, Shorten's office has raised eyebrows - including in the House of Albo - by continuing to publish missives from his official "Shorten Suite" Twitter account.

Back in the day it was an amusing and often sharp stream of commentary on the Coalition's foibles. But more than two months since losing the unlosable election, surely it's time to put the account into retirement.

Especially when the content is suspect. Shorten Suite reported that Boris Johnson's ascent to 10 Downing Street had prompted a rousing rendition of God Save the Queen at a function for Coalition staffers held by the Liberal-aligned Menzies Research Centre.

But some royal watchers and Johnson-fans in attendance insist that was just "fake news".

An uncharacteristically tight-lipped Menzies boss Nick Cater said Johnson's triumph was "warmly received" by attendees, but the celebration was a Chatham House affair.

Shorten's former chief of staff Ryan Liddell, who leaves the office permanently this week, swears the tweets aren't coming from him.